The basic premise for this paper is that any educational program or technology should be evaluated on the basis of the theoretical foundations or perspectives on which it is implicitly or explicitly based. Structured in three main sections, it reviews recent literature in areas related to the many aspects that influence learning through telecommunications and computer conferencing. The first section is an overview of how cognitive theory can provide a basis for understanding computer-mediated communication (CMC) activities, with respect both to their educational potential and to the interaction of the learner with a computer system, and how the individual interacts with information on the basis of previously acquired knowledge and mental models. The second section reviews the literature that relates technologies such as CMC to their impact on education and society, providing a basis for thinking of new roles for teachers and learners, and helping to identify some of the prospects that students will face as they reach the workplace. The third section describes research theories and methods that have been used in similar contexts and could be useful in determining ways to evaluate the impact of telecommunications technology on student learning in the context of the teaching and learning environment. Over 100 citations and 56 other readings are included. (ALF)